Diptheria -Tetanus Toxoids, Pediatric

Diphteria causes breathing problems through a thick coating in the nose, throat and airways. This can lead to breathing problems, paralysis , heart failure and even death.

Tetanus also known as lockjaw cause muscles to tighten all around the body.

When it affects the jaw it will not allow the victim to open his mouth or swallow. 1 out of 10 people die from tetanus.

Diptheria spreads from person to person, while tetanus enters the body through cuts or wounds. The main targets for this vaccine are kids from 2 months to 5 years old. The vaccine will not treat an already present infection in the body.

The vacciness does not contain any dead forms of the bacteria, but rather an antigen protein that causes you body to develop immunity to the bacteria. This vaccine also called DT is for kids age 6 months to 6 years. It usually must be given before the 7th birthday.

As with many other vaccines a booster shot should not be administered if the person has had an allergic reaction to the first shot. The risk of side effects with this vaccine is very low. Becoming infected with one of the diseases it prevents against, is far more serious and life threatening. Emergency medical help should be sought if you have one of the following symptoms: hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of the tongue, throat, face or lips.

Serious side effects include: extreme drowsiness, fainting; fussiness, irritability, crying for an hour or longer; seizure (black-out or convulsions); or high fever.

This vaccine is given in a series of shots. The first is given to a child when he is 2 months old. The following shots are given at 4, 6, and 12 to 18 months of age. The fifth dose is administered when the child is between 4 and 6 years old. This vaccine should not be administered after the child has reached 7 years old. A different version of this vaccine exists for the remaining age groups.

If all doses of the vaccine are not received, the child may not be fully protected. If a shot is missed, it should be given as soon as possible, as there is no need to start over. A child should not receive this vaccine if the child has: severe or uncontrolled epilepsy or other seizure disorder; or

if the child has received cancer chemotherapy or radiation treatment in the past 3 months

If a previous vaccine has cause one of the following your child might not be able to receive the vaccine :a very high fever (over 104 degrees); a neurologic disorder or disease affecting the brain; excessive crying for 3 hours or longer; fainting or going into shock;

The doctor should be told if the child has any of the following before receiving the vaccine: a bleeding or blood clotting disorder such as hemophilia or easy bruising; a history of seizures; a neurologic disorder or disease affecting the brain (or if this was a reaction to a previous vaccine); an allergy to latex rubber; a weak immune system caused by disease, bone marrow transplant, or by using certain medicines or receiving cancer treatments; or if the child is taking a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin); the child has received drugs or treatments in the past 2 weeks that can weaken the immune system.

The content of this website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.The information provided here is not professional medical advice and is presented for informational purposes only.